


By the Universe deserted

by ClaireMorgan



Category: Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (TV 2018)
Genre: (not too) slow burn, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/F, Madam Spellman AU, Mild Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-08
Updated: 2020-07-08
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:55:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 13,159
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25127335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ClaireMorgan/pseuds/ClaireMorgan
Summary: Lilith is a powerful, ancient witch, who works with the council, though she struggles to find meaning in her life. Zelda travels, to forget boredom. When they meet, it’s love; intense, immediate. But terrible news cause the witches to part ways; forever, or so they thought. Years later, curious circumstances bring them back together again. Can love emerge once more?
Relationships: Zelda Spellman/Mary Wardwell | Madam Satan | Lilith
Comments: 15
Kudos: 48





	1. I see you

**Author's Note:**

> Happy birthday m'lady (you know who you are) 😉🖤

Glasgow, 1999

The smoke of her cigarette swirls up in the air, and settles above the sweaty crowd, close to the low ceiling. The pub is small and full; women in short skirts and so many men, who all seem to wear the same white t-shirt and bland face. One of them is walking towards the bar, dangling on his feet, and grabs a redhead’s shoulder. 

  * Sorry, miss… 
  * It’s ma’m, for you. 



The ginger looks down at the boy — he is just a kid really, barely over 25 — with a condescending smile, as she lights yet another cigarette. She just wanted a drink, but it seems those mortals cannot grant her just one quiet evening on her own. There is always a man to come and ruin it all. 

  * Can I buy you a drink?



The redhead is about to snap that boy’s mouth shut with an answer so bitter his tongue would turn to ashes, but she does not have the time; a cawing yet shrouding voice echoes not so far behind her. 

  * She’s with me. 



The boy blushes, and almost bows before starting to walk away. 

  * Oh right, yes ma'am. 



When the boy is out of sight — taking her time despite the curiosity — the ginger woman turns around. She is first startled by the proximity of the other woman behind her, the fabric of a dark suit catching her eye. When they go up that silhouette, they land on a pale face, features sharp like a rough charcoal sketch, long lips covered in a dark, bloodish red lipstick. The brown hair falls into sophisticated curls on her shoulders, and she smiles — the redhead feels like she doesn't do it often. 

  * A drink? Or I can leave you alone, of course… 
  * No, of course not. Don’t be silly. 



The few drops of whiskey in her blood made the words come right out of her mouth, and the woman in front of her chuckles. Not able to contain herself anymore, or maybe not wanting to, the redhead eyes roam on the other’s body, hidden under all this fabric; still, the tightness of the fitting is revealing enough. The cawing voice wakes her up from her contemplative transe. 

  * And what would you like, miss… 
  * Spellman. Zelda Spellman. 



She stretches her hand, her eyes snatched back to the woman’s face. 

  * Miss Spellman.



The dark woman smiles at the words, tasting them. The way she grabs Zelda’s hand, firmly, makes the ginger shudder involuntarily. 

  * A fan of the formalities, I see. 
  * I like proper manners, of course. When needed… 



Her eyes are piercing, invasive, but the ginger holds up her glance. Their hands stay linked a few more seconds than “manners” would indicate appropriate. But since when Zelda Spellman cares for manners? Anyhow, she backs off with a sly smile. 

  * And you are?
  * Lilith. 



The name now settles it; the ginger sensed a particularly vivid energy coming from that strange character, and her instincts are now confirmed. She is a witch. In the palm of her hand she can almost feel the reverberation of the contact, fizzing, like a crack of lightning on her skin. A dash of raw power clings to her, and it must have been entirely intentional on the other woman’s part. She senses how deep the strength of Lilith roots, drawing her in; daring her to resist, perhaps. 

  * You didn’t answer my question, dear. 
  * What question?



Lilith smiles, biting her lip. The woman next to her seems suddenly tense, her lips parted and her breath sucked in as she waits for her to speak. 

  * Which drink would you like?
  * Oh! 



Zelda almost laughs at her silliness. She had a bit too much to drink already, her mind is playing tricks on her. She slaps her palm on the counter, to regain her composure. 

  * Whiskey, please. 
  * Whiskey it is. 



She gestures the bartender, who immediately urges to finish pouring a drink and take care of their order. When they receive their glasses, the mysterious woman nods thankfully to the man, who retreats without a word. Zelda wonders once again what kind of person instills those reactions from everyone around. She somehow likes not knowing. She turns to her, searching for something to say. 

  * You’re not from here, I suppose… 
  * That’s a bold question to ask as a foreigner. 



The sharpness of the answer — a word appropriate for all aspects of that woman, it seems — makes Zelda doubt herself, something she rarely does. Nevertheless, she won’t let it show. 

  * Well, you don’t exactly sound like a local. 
  * They didn’t even speak English here back when I was a local… 



Zelda lifts an eyebrow. An ancient witch. For some reason, the perspective of the centuries washing over that woman’s body, of the richness of that spirit makes her a bit unsettled; she shivers, and takes a sip of whiskey to hide her fluster. The woman carries on, seemingly ignoring the ginger witch’s turmoil. Though she would swear she noticed. 

  * I went to America, for awhile, but I always come back here. It’s so… 
  * Rainy?
  * Yes, exactly. 



The woman chuckles softly, laying a hand on the counter, not far from Zelda’s own. She finally sits down, as if she just decided to stay. To linger into the moment, for once. 

  * It’s just… 



She takes a deep breath, and it seems she is about to confess some hidden truth about herself. Zelda thinks at this moment that even if they met just a few minutes ago, she feels like she could say anything to this woman. 

  * You know the rain, the fog, and the cold, the stiffness of it all. I don’t know, I just… It suits me. 



Zelda seems to glance into her soul, for just a second, before the woman shrugs; the moment is over. The ginger witch can’t help that craving inside of her; to see more. To give just as much. “Unfold me”, she thinks. 

  * I see. 



Simple, banal words for such a grand feeling. Though Lilith’s stares gets heavier. Maybe she felt it too. Maybe… 

  * Do you?



Zelda chuckles almost shyly, taken aback. The woman in front of her suddenly seems so cold, so distant. If only she could see in her mind, those thoughts racing, her throat closing and not for lack of words. She wants to say so much but stays silent. She wonders if Zelda might just say goodnight and walk away in a few minutes, after an insipid chat. Maybe she will remain a lovely stranger, that she will never see again; it wouldn’t be the first time. But the ginger witch keeps on with the questions. 

  * And what do you do? 



It’s the first thing that came into Zelda’s mind, but now she sees how poor a question it is; how they already are pass those petty concerns. Who cares what she does? She wants to know who she is. Lilith’s thinking is along the same lines. She tilts her chin and lifts a brow. 

  * Does a witch need an occupation?



Here it is again, that same slightly cold tone. Though now there is a warmth in the dark witch’s eyes, which changes everything. She does a gracious wave of her hand — Zelda watches it carefully, bewildered by the long, slender fingers — as she gathers her thoughts.

  * But I guess, we’re not mortals. We don’t need things anyway, we _want_ them. 
  * What do you want then?



She turns to Zelda at those bold words, to meet even more daring eyes. She stops for a second, pondering on what to say. 

  * I guess… I want to feel alive again. 



The glint of vulnerability in those dark, tough eyes causes a pinch in Zelda’s stomach. 

  * Isn’t that what we all want?



Lilith turns her head, her eyes staring into the wall in front of them. She looks sad, but she hides it well. 

  * Look at them. 



Even though the other witch’s eyes don’t move one bit, Zelda turns around. She scans through the crowd; drunk old men, people dancing, laughing. 

  * They want the same thing. 
  * Yes. But they don’t know what it’s like. 



Lilith turns to Zelda again. Her voice goes softer. 

  * You know. 



And Zelda sees in that glance that the woman is not only talking about matters of witches and mortals, or the burden of centuries long-lives. The ginger witch knows she doesn’t have to answer. She smiles, a bit mischievously. 

  * But you haven’t really answered my question. 



Lilith smiles back. 

  * What was it again?
  * You said witches don’t need an occupation. But do you have one?
  * Why are you so sure I do?



Zelda shrugs. 

  * You don’t seem the leisurely kind. 



The brown-haired witch nods. 

  * I’m not. I work with the council. 



Zelda’s jaw drops. 

  * You mean the witch’s council? In the Vatican?



The ginger witch knows she just showed a bit too much enthusiasm; she would have liked to seem less impressed. She immediately tries to gather her senses, but the way Lilith’s eyes flitches tells her she noticed her initial reaction; she smiles, like a child who just got caught. Lilith smiles back. 

  * Yes. 
  * Then why don’t you live in Italy?



The woman is just about to answer, before Zelda slips in with a sly smile. 

  * Not enough rain for you, I guess… 
  * There’s that, yes… 



The witch grins, but then her lips fall back down and her eyes drain out of their glint. She seems to get lost in thoughts for a moment. 

  * I just like to do my business on my own. Those warlocks don’t always enjoy the presence of a witch in such high ranks, anyway… 



Zelda likes the frankness with which Lilith speaks, of her position and of the challenges she faces. The ginger witch knows very well how some men look upon them witches, if they are at all ambitious. Faustus Blackwood, that irritating warlock, comes into her mind, and she shrugs off the thought of him in disgust. 

  * So, how does it work? You living here, your work being down in Rome?
  * Well, I come and go. I have to be down there for meetings with the antipope of course, but apart from that… I can deal from here. Whether they like it or not… 



The thought of Lilith being so powerful, so high ranked, makes her even more attractive. She looks around the room, giving the ginger witch a few seconds to let her eyes cling to where she wouldn’t, if Lilith was looking right into her eyes. 

  * I have business here, anyway. I like to have my own contacts. You know, just in case. 



She smiles, though Zelda can see a slight uneasiness in the woman’s expression.

  * And the celtics are fascinating people… 



She sighs, and seems to be reminding herself of some cherished memory. 

  * Unfortunately, I also have to deal with some of the council’s _good friends_. 



She looks around the dodgy neighborhood bar. 

  * Surprisingly enough, petty criminals and warlocks get along pretty well… 
  * Just power-starved men, right?
  * Exactly. 



Lilith takes a sip of her whiskey, hiding a growing smile. 

  * I guess it explains your presence here. 



Zelda looks around the bar, this crappy, overcrowded mess ; there really isn’t any other reason for a woman like Lilith to be here. She nods. 

  * And what explains yours?



Zelda chuckles, lifting her glass. Lilith grins in response.

  * I see. But it’s not the best whiskey in town, I assure you. 
  * Maybe you could show me around sometime…



The ginger witch tries to keep her ice cold, femme fatale glance, but she fails to look completely indifferent. Actually, she awaits the answer with a nervous jolt of her hand, holding her breath. Lilith takes a second to answer, just enough to enjoy that feeling, that flutter in her stomach. It’s been so long.

  * I’d be honored. 



They stare, their smiles bigger now, and without restraint. After a while, Zelda’s eyes fall back on the drink in her hand. She can’t hold that stare any longer. 

  * To be totally honest, I wanted to get away.



Lilith doesn’t say anything, she waits for the witch to elaborate. She listens. 

  * You see, I travel a lot. This small town I come from, it's not that I don’t love it, but it feels sort of clustered, you know? My family has been there for centuries… I guess I just want to taste the whole world before I have to settle down there. 



Lilith wonders if this woman will ever settle down, if she even wants to. She stares from the side into those pools of green, her eyes; withheld. Why is she telling her all of this?

  * The last time I had seen Scotland was a century ago! The energy those lands convey, it’s… unearthly. But anyway, those people I’m staying with, witches, they’re… I don’t know. They just talk all the time. So I went out, walked around, stumbled upon this place. Now I’m here. 



She turns to Lilith again. Those icy blue eyes are more piercing than ever. She answers in an almost serious tone, leaning on her arm on the counter. Their faces are closer than they have been in the whole evening. 

  * I’m glad. 



Zelda smiles, and looks around the room again.She knows she can’t stare into those eyes for too long. That she shouldn’t. 

  * Petty criminals, huh?



Lilith turns to look too, spotting the men with the sternest faces. The ones that stand in the corners and watch. Lilith isn’t scared of them in the slightest. 

  * Indeed. Drug dealers, gangs… There’s been warlocks and witches involved in the crime scene here for hundreds of years. Dealings with the devil are a frequent thing. 
  * At least there’s some action here.



Lilith smiles. 

  * Yes there is. 



She gets closer to Zelda again, until their cheeks are almost touching. She whispers close to her ear. 

  * You see that tall man in the left corner?



Zelda hums. 

  * Stabbed the wife of his rival when he took down his business. And his contract with the council expires soon. If you feel like having a good meal someday… 



Zelda’s toothy grin clearly shows her appreciation of the idea. Her eyes are shining mischievously. 

  * That’s just charity, really. 



Lilith’s face crumples in a weird way, before her lips curl up and her eyes squint. She breaks into a dry, but genuine laugh, leaning dangerously close, one of her hands gripping Zelda’s shoulder. The ginger witch can feel her whiskey-flavored breath brushing her face. Her hair falls, a strand dangling on her cheek, that she flips back with a sharp movement of her head as she backs off, still smiling. Her hand lingers on the witch’s shoulder. Zelda tries not to stare. It’s the first time she saw her laugh. 


	2. The weight of her steps

The mirror reflects pale skin, gorged with light. Zelda smiles at herself. That lump in her throat won’t go down. But she doesn’t expect it too. 

Her black lace underwear is a perfect fit. She thinks of later, hours from now, when Lilith will see it. Her own hand wanders obliviously on her neck, slipping down her chest. She feels her ribs through the skin, and runs up the goosebumps on her arm. Her mouths falls open in a long sigh, as she feels crinkles bubbling up on her skin. A craving. If she had Lilith here right now… 

She can almost smell her now, that musky scent with a hint of ashes. Her hair spreading like wildfire on her broad shoulders. Zelda always buries her fingers deep in the mane, tightening around stands that she pulls and pulls again, to feel Lilith’s shaky breath in her mouth. Those lips, hungry and always wanting, wanting more and more, sucking on skin with abandon. Their taste of lipstick and whiskey. 

Lilith’s hand going up to cup her face, bringing her towards her own, slowly. Their first kiss was like that. Zelda remembers the shock of her back on the door, inside Lilith’s room. The way the woman stared for a while, letting Zelda’s own eyes linger to her lips, before pulling her close. The moment their lips touched, igniting fire. 

Lilith hips hit Zelda as she presses their bodies together in one swift movement. They lock lips for so long that they part breathless, before rushing unto the other’s mouth again with even more force. Zelda throws her head back when she feels the woman’s mouth on her neck, nibbling on the skin as she brings a thigh up between the ginger witch’s legs. Zelda’s low moan resonates in the silence of the room, echoed by their heavy breaths and the soft humming sounds which escape Lilith’s lips as she tastes every inch of that beautiful neck. Zelda’s hands are in her hair, tangling into the dark, silky strands for the first time. 

They had waited so long. Two entire weeks had passed, so many drink on so many nights, long evenings that stretched almost until morning. Zelda hated and loved that moment just before it ended; that instant in suspension, when she waited for Lilith to say something. Even tonight, she didn’t really say anything. They had danced. The memory of Lilith’s body brushing hers when they swayed on the wooden floor, dizzy with the jazz and the whiskey, seems so distant now that Zelda actually holds unto it, that heavenly body, grabbing the shoulders tightly when Lilith falls to her knees. 

The mirror reflects her own face back to Zelda; lips parted, eyes glinting lecherously, flushed cheeks. She stares into her eyes when her hands goes down her stomach, to meet the raw skin on the inside of her thigh. She draws circles with her fingers, scratching delicate flesh with her nails. 

Lilith had her mouth down on that very spot, as she held unto Zelda’s hips, pushing her against the wall. Her lips teased her for an eternity or two, before moving towards where she needed them. Zelda remembers the slow rhythm, her ragged panting, a wave of pleasure crashing hard unto her; brisk and blinding. The thought of that mouth on her lingers, as Zelda pinches the skin of her thigh. 

She remembers that want she had felt, even with the woman’s hands and lips on her — that want she still feels, like a presence.Just the thought of Lilith makes her so shivery, almost trembling; because it’s not only about that lust, there is this sense of belonging she feels. in those arms. That connection they have been sharing from the first minutes. The trust that came almost too fast. 

Zelda takes her hands off herself and grabs the dress that lays on the chair behind her. The dark, silky fabric clings to her skin, as she gets dressed. She feels the roughness of the tulle, which makes up the skirt, under the tips of her fingers. She remembers Lilith’s fingers on her skin, that slight coarseness, coupled with a softness the witch never knew. Lilith can be so cold, but she melts away with a glance from her. 

The sound that the dress makes when Zelda walks reminds her of the breaths she lets out everytime Lilith’s eyes land on her. She walks, and looks up to see those very eyes, lingering to her. As she steps closer to the woman every second, her heart jumps around but she keeps on walking. 

“I know this is crazy.”

One more step, and then another one; Zelda holds her breath. 

“I know you might think I lost my mind” 

Lilith’s blue eyes are the only thing she sees, the only thing that matters. 

“But I have been feeling…” 

The lump in the witch’s throat is very much here now, but there is also this warmth that washes over, soothing the scars. 

“I’ve been thinking about us.” 

Zelda remembers when the thought of that “us” first emerged in her head; on that night, a month after they met, when she realised what she was feeling. It was love. It is love. 

“It’s been a long time, Zelda. I didn’t think I would meet anyone else. But you broke through, you just…”

Zelda remembers the slight chuckle at that phrase. As she gets closer to Lilith now, she sees the echo of that same wonder in the woman’s soft smile. 

“You make me feel alive.”

Just a few steps left. The ginger witch feels the heaviness of her feet and of the moment, diving into that solemn silence. Hearing the echo of words spoken not so long ago — in a time that now seems light years away. 

“Zelda Spellman, maybe I’m a crazy woman, but would you marry me?” 

Zelda wants to say yes again, a million times, when she reaches the altar, staring into those lovely blue eyes. It is love. It will be, forever.


	3. Zelda hates goodbyes

  * What is it? Darling, you have to tell me. Please, just… Just talk to me!
  * I can’t. I… 



The force of Zelda’s sobs shakes her whole, and surprises Lilith who has her wrapped up in her arms, sitting on the bed. Lilith has never seen her like this; so broken, so bare before her. Her voice choked up in her throat, the witch trembles, hit by another upsurge of tears every few minutes. She stays, tightly caught in Lilith’s arms, for what seems like hours. The night settles in, with its darkness and its silence, and the grimness of the outside slips through the open window, for once. Their room was usually a haven. Now the world comes crashing in, merciless. 

The witch received a letter, earlier tonight. Her eyes widened as she was reading it, and she pressed the paper so hard between her fingers that it ended just a ragged material, like some ripped off skin, dangling from her tight fist. Lilith had seen it all happening. The crumbling down: short, nervous breaths, the witch’s hand going up to cover her eyes, when she sat on the bed, like a ghost, not even a person, just a shadow. She was not saying a word, and it drove the other woman mad. Then the tears came. 

Lilith is still holding Zelda against her when she finally feels the woman’s breath slowing down. She is sleeping; Lilith lays her down, gently pulling away. She removes the damaged letter between her loosened fingers. The woman feels her own heart somehow breaking, aching in her chest when her eyes land upon the words: Edward, Zelda’s dear brother, has found death, along with his wife, in a horrible plane crash. The letter is from Zelda’s sister, which Lilith never met. “Come at once”, she says. “Little Sabrina only has us left.”

Lilith puts the letter down on the bedside table, laying down next to the ginger witch. Life has done it to her again. She looks up, her eyes roaming up and down that single crack in the ceiling. There has already been so much to overcome. Lilith’s position has been constantly threatened by council members, the obligation of a secret marriage, to protect Zelda from possible harm. Of course, that’s not what she told the witch; she would have been outraged. No, she said she didn’t want her authority challenged. Sometimes she wonders if she should tell her those things. But there’s a knot in her stomach just at the thought, so she turns and wraps her arm around Zelda, pulling her close. The witch hums quietly and snuggles her head in the crease of her lover’s shoulder; oh, oblivious sleep! Lilith sighs in the embrace. That she can do.

* * *

The morning is almost there when Zelda wakes up in a jolt. The pain hits her the second she opens her eyes; first, a blurry sentiment, sharpening by the second before becoming this clear-cut shape of sadness, anger, fear. Edward. Diana. Little Sabrina. 

The thought of the girl triggers something inside of her. The tears stay stuck in her throat. She pulls away from Lilith, carefully, not to wake her up, and sits on the edge of the bed. She has to go. She knows it; she realised it even before reading her sister’s request. The little girl needs her. The idea she had of her life, of the next few years, up in Scotland, whiskey and Glasgow and Lilith, Lilith over and over again — gone in a blink. She turns to her, still asleep on the bed. This woman teared up so much of her defenses, broke so many walls. Though now there is a line drawn, one that Lilith can’t cross. There is no going back from this. 

Zelda details those sharp features in her head, longingly stares at those lips. She wish she could see the blue pupils once again, before going away. “I’ll see them soon”, she thinks. “Once everything is settled.”

Her suitcase in her hand, she walks out of the door. She doesn’t look back. Zelda hates goodbyes. 

* * *

“I’m sorry, I had to” 

The piece of paper is shaking in Lilith’s hands. 6 words, penned with a unsteady but determined hand; not one more. Lilith rereads them, trying to find a deeper meaning. Those are simple words. They don’t seem to be hiding anything, though for Lilith they feel like words of farewell. The end of a story. And she played the fool again. 

Zelda is not hers anymore. Gone, their days coated with the Glasgow mist, stretching into timeless hours. Her life called her back, and Lilith is left behind, as always. “She will come back. She will come back. She won’t come back.” Somewhere in a dark corner of her mind, Lilith is sure; she won't come back. But she craves her presence anyway. She cries, angry tears that she tries to hold back furiously, until the day is settling in outside. The air of the room is sweltering. Lilith stands up to look out the window, as if she could see something there, in the desolate street. She stares at the crooked world through the glass, waiting for someone that won’t ever come back. 


	4. The spell

Greendale, march 2018

  
  


  * How could you do that, Sabrina! How could you go behind our backs and do such a thing!
  * Aunt Zelda I didn’t know it would turn out like that, the book didn’t even say it was a forbidden spell, I… 
  * Yes, but did it say it is a very complex one, that only an experienced witch or warlock can hope, and I say hope, to accomplish? Did it say that?
  * Yes, but… 
  * No but. There is a not a single explanation that excuses your actions, Sabrina. Now go into your room and reflect on the consequences of your foolish actions! Me and your aunt Hilda will try cleaning the mess you have made. And don’t you dare make one other spell, young lady! 



Zelda’s face is red, her eyes glued open, her hands flying around while she talks. Sabrina has never seen her aunt so angry. Without one more word, she rushes up the stairs, ashamed. When she is out of sight, Zelda turns to her sister, standing in the corner quietly since the fight took off. 

  * Can you believe it… 



It’s not a question, but more of an affirmation, and Hilda nods. Zelda leans on the counter, taking her head in her hands. She lets out a long sigh. Who knew raising a teenage witch would be so much trouble? Zelda thinks of her own younger years. She stirred her load of trouble. But never, never she did something so seriously dangerous. Or it never went so wrong, anyway. 

  * I don’t know what to do, Hilda… After all that trouble with the infernal court, I… I don’t think Faustus will tolerate anymore divergent behaviour. 
  * Well, he can just… 
  * He can fuck off!
  * Yes, exactly. 



Hilda looks at her sister, carefully 

  * But I can’t protect her from this Hilda… This summoning spell, not only does she risk being excommunicated for it, it also puts her in grave danger. The entity, we don’t know what it might do, or when it will strike… 
  * I know, I know.



Hilda pats her sister's back; Zelda shudders when she first feels the reassuring hand on her shoulder. Hilda would like to be able to solve the situation, a spell or a potion, anything, though she knows she can’t. This is far more complex magic than what she is used to do. It would require multiple witches. strong ones, or even one particularly skilled individual to get rid of such an aggressive demonic entity. It is actually surprising that Sabrina managed to summon them, even if she did not control her magic enough not to set them free. Now, the menace, a sword of Damocles, is hanging over their heads; it is a matter of when, and not if, the entity will attack them. And, on top of that, there is all the matter of witch law; Sabrina’s transgression have been, one way or another, brought up to the eyes of the council — yes, the council! — and now they are threatening her with severe sanctions. Excommunication, or worse, taking her powers away. Zelda still has her face buried in her hands. When she finally looks up, Hilda can see all the worry staining her features, like an anticipated tiredness. She tries using her softest tone to bring her back to reality. 

  * If only we could, I don’t know… talk to someone. 



Her last words seems to strike Zelda; she blinks and her hands moved with a jolt, going to to grab the edge of the counter. 

  * What is it Zelds? Are you okay?



Zelda takes a deep breath. The thought that just came into her head makes her dizzy, though she knows right away it is the only solution. She must have buried it deep, not to have thought of it sooner. A face — long seen but not forgotten at all — draws itself in her mind; line by line, the blue eyes become as piercing as they were, all those decades ago. Zelda’s heart pounders heavily in her chest, the pace increasing, and she brings her hand to her chest, trying to calm herself down. Memories rushing back, from a time that didn’t even seems to have happened; she closes her eyes to shut them down. Then, she opens then again, a composed poise plastered like a mask on her face. 

  * I know someone. 




	5. That thing life does

Day 1 

The noise the suitcase makes while hitting the wooden porch makes Lilith startle. She hasn't been that nervous in ages. She takes a moment to place her hair; a bit ruffled by the long-distance teleportation. She looks around; the New England grey sky, the faint grimness of the forest, accentuated by dusk, remind her a bit of her cherished Scotland. She doesn’t find it hard to imagine Zelda living here, in this grand, centuries-old house, perhaps sitting on that porch and looking at the rain; like she used to do on their balcony in Glasgow. How strange it is that little things sometimes stay the same; even a century later. Though maybe Zelda doesn’t watch the rain anymore. 

Lilith, in an instant of courage, raises her hand to knock firmly on the door. Loud steps echo down the hall, barely muffled. The door opens swiftly — and time seems to freeze right there. Zelda’s face turn from a slight surprise to an indecipherable emotion; uneasiness, confusion, a faint anger, pain, and it seems happiness too (if it is at all possible) or a certain relief, maybe? Lilith’s eyes stay glued to it all the same, returning the woman’s silent stare. She can see how the ginger witch is holding her breath; is she waiting on her to say something? Do something?

  * Who is it Zelds? Oh, you’re the person we’ve been waiting for, are you?



Lilith looks at that curiously joyful blond woman who just appeared in the doorframe, and then back to Zelda, then back to the blonde woman. She feels her words slipping away, not totally out of the trance of the moment.

  * ... Yes.
  * Come in, then! I’ve made some cookies!



Lilith follows the woman’s instructions, still not able to take her eyes off Zelda for more than a few seconds. But Zelda turns around as swiftly as she arrived, and walks behind her sister — or at least that is who Lilith thinks this woman is. She perfectly fits the description the witch made; even if it dates a bit. Lilith takes advantage of a brief pause in the woman’s continued speech (she has been babbling about all sorts of stuff even since she set foot in the house) to slip in a few words. 

  * I’m sorry it took me a bit of time to arrive, I had some business to take care of. 
  * It’s fine. 



Lilith startles again upon hearing the ginger witch’s voice for the first time; she forgot how cold she can sound sometimes. She wonders if the witch has any idea of what held her back; of how for two whole days after receiving her message she walked up and down the hallway of her apartment, devoured by the thought of seeing her again. She wanted to see her again, much more than she had wanted anything else in a long while, despite the prospect being terrifying. 

  * You are Hilda, right?
  * Yes, very nice to meet you. Zelda speaks highly of you, you know… 



Hilda shakes her hand enthusiastically, before turning around and gesturing to the kitchen. Lilith stays troubled by her words for a few seconds; did Zelda tell her sister the exact nature of their past relationship? Was she aware of the circumstances of their parting? Probably not. But did Zelda really speak of her with fondness, is it possible? The chanting voice snaps her back in the moment. 

  * Welcome to our modest little home!



Lilith’s eyes immediately land on the blond young woman, sitting at the table. 

  * You must be Sabrina. 



The teenager stands up and walks over; a certain confidence emanating from her stature, reminiscent of another fearless Spellman witch. 

  * I am. And you are… 
  * This is Lilith. She works with the council. 



Lilith turns around, her eyes catching Zelda’s instantly. She is leaning on the wall, keeping a safe distance with the dark-haired witch. She escapes Lilith’s gaze and looks around the kitchen with a matriarch’s glance. 

  * The council? 



A young man, though clearly the bearer of an older soul, is standing in a corner of the kitchen in a dark dressing gown. Lilith had not noticed him before he spoke. 

  * Yes, Ambrose, _the_ council. 



Zelda’s dry tone seems to suck the air out of the room. Though Lilith is not afraid of it — she never has been — and she keeps on talking whilst everybody else decided to stay silent.

  * You’re Ambrose Spellman. 
  * Yes. 



His voice is hesitant, as if he fears getting scolded. Blowing up the Vatican certainly didn’t please the council, hence the people literally living  _ underneath _ it; something he had not thought through at the moment of his actions. Lilith walks over to him, her hand stretched out. 

  * A pleasure to finally meet you. Let’s just say I heard a lot about your feats. 


  * Hmmm, yes, I’m truly sorry about that, it was a long time ago… 



Lilith chuckles. In her corner of the room, Zelda thinks it is the first time she hears that laugh in an eternity; and a part of her craves to hear it again. She tries ignoring it, taking a dramatic draft of her cigarette, as she observes the scene playing out in front of them. 

  * Oh, don’t apologize. Those old men need a good dusting once in a while. 



Ambrose’s eyes illuminate, and a sly smile slips on his lips. Lilith smiles back, before being startled again by a familiar voice. 

  * Enough small talk, we have urgent business to discuss. 



Hilda looks at her sister. How can she be so rude to their guest? It makes her wonder how much the two women knew each other. Zelda said she met her while traveling Europe, though nothing more. Riddled with curiosity, Hilda dares asking. 

  * So, how did you two meet? Zelda was pretty vague… 



She turns to Lilith, hoping for a more substantial answer. The witch realises in this moment that Zelda kept the secret entirely. Nobody here knows anything; that they were lovers, that they were married, nothing! She has to come up with a story, and quickly. 

  * A business meet… 
  * A party. 



Lilith turns to Zelda, eyes wide. Why couldn’t she just let her answer? She turns to Hilda, trying her best to smile. 

  * A business party. 



Hilda, Sabrina and Ambrose all stare, perplexed. Lilith can feel Zelda’s angry eyes burning her back. She clears her throat. 

  * So… I guess I will need to talk to some people, investigate, your… case, Sabrina. 
  * Turning on the Sherlock mode!



Ambrose laughs at his own joke, before shutting up when he catches Lilith’s eyes. 

  * What?
  * Huh, hmm nothing. 



Lilith’s pursed lips and furrowed brows indicate clearly that she has no idea what Ambrose is talking about. She has never been a fan of mortal culture anyway. Zelda rolls her eyes ostentatiously at Ambrose’s silliness, while Hilda tries to catch Lilith’s attention once again. She needs to know the situation will be well handled; she doesn’t know this woman after all. 

  * You will talk to Blackwood, I suppose?
  * Yes, of course. 



Lilith has had dealings with the man since he became high priest. Let’s just say he is not her favourite of the bunch. 

  * What about the haunting? Do you have a way to beat the entity?
  * What entity?



Everybody turns to Zelda, who stays silent for a second, opening and closing her mouth. She just got caught. Lilith speaks first. 

  * I didn’t know about any entity… Do you mean she completed the spell enough to summon a demon?
  * I did, yes. 



Sabrina takes a step forward. 

  * I thought I could do the rest, manage to trap it, but I couldn’t. I… 
  * It’s fine, Sabrina. We’ve been over this already. 



Zelda’s voice is softer, in a way Lilith doesn’t remember. 

  * Zelda this is… It’s serious. 



Just now realization washes over Lilith, and she sees the danger threatening the Spellman family. This is not just a question of witch law, a simple coven quarrel — it is a real menace, a potentially deadly one, even. Lilith now regrets taking her time before coming to Greendale; she wouldn’t have if she really knew what was going on. The ginger witch stares back at her, maybe noticing the change in Lilith’s attitude. She is worried. There is an instant where the dark-haired witch thinks Zelda will say something close to a confession, or even an apology, though she keeps up with that same cold tone. 

  * The entity has not striked yet, and all the necessary precautions have been taken. We’re not petty witches… 
  * I never said that. 



Zelda has this unreadable expression on her face again, and Lilith thinks she probably shouldn’t speak another word. The whole family looks at them, wondering what in heaven is going on. The ginger witch smashes her cigarette in the ashtray; trying to hide the faint flutter in her stomach. Those damn blue eyes. 

  * It’s late, we should all get some sleep. These next few days probably won’t be very peaceful… 
  * Right. And where am I to sleep?



Lilith’s tone, the way she tilts her head, staring invasively; it all feels like a dare. “You want to play that game” her glance asks, “You want to play cold?” Hilda interrupts the moment once again, perhaps worried about an outbreak of some sort. 

  * Follow me, it’s right this way!



Lilith turns to smile to Sabrina and Ambrose, still standing there, baffled. She follows Hilda, without another look towards the ginger witch. Zelda feels a bitter taste in her mouth to see her go so nonchalantly, passing by her as if she is invisible. Though she doesn’t care what that woman thinks anymore. Why would she? 

When they reach the guest room, Hilda opens the door for Lilith. 

  * Here it is. 
  * Thank you. 



The bed seems particularly welcoming, after this hard day of business, coupled with the shock of seeing Zelda again. She is about to close the door when she hears Hilda’s voice once again, almost in a whisper. 

  * Excuse Zelda, she is just stressed. She doesn’t mean to be such a… 
  * A bitch?



Hilda snorts. Lilith’s little smile doesn’t match her harsh choice of words, and Hilda can see just in that look how much the witch cares about her sister. She still is not sure of what happened between those two, but she knows it can’t be trivial. She is determined to get to the bottom of it. 

  * Yes, that. 
  * It’s fine. 



“I’m used to it” : those are the words that almost escaped Lilith’s mouth. Instead, she smiles again, and finally shuts the door. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she closes her eyes. “I’m the same”, she thinks. 

* * *

The mirror sends back to Zelda the picture of a tired woman; so far from the one she was in Glasgow, on those whiskey-soaked nights. Not the face of woman who can fall in love with a glance, get married within a few months. She changed

  * Zelda?
  * Hm?



Her sister’s interjection brought Zelda back 20 years later, in her own bedroom. Hilda is standing at the door. 

  * Are you sure you’re alright?
  * Well, our niece might be excommunicated and there’s a demon lurking. Other than that, I’m perfectly fine. 



Zelda stays with her back half-turned to her sister, pretending to be very absorbed in the task of combing her hair. Hilda can’t know, nobody can; it could ruin everything. Though the blonde sister is not done with her questions. 

  * What about that woman?
  * What about her?



The quick way she snaps back at every remark only makes her more suspicious. Zelda herself knows it, though she can’t help herself. 

  * Well, there seems to be… 



She struggles to find the right words, not to provoke Zelda’s wrath.

  * I’m tired now, Hilda. Quit the babbling and go to bed, we have work to do tomorrow. 
  * Alright. Goodnight Zelds. 



The ginger witch finally turns to face her sister. 

  * Goodnight Hildy.



She knows she is being harsh, and her sister doesn’t deserve it. It’s not about her anyway. It’s about Lilith. When Zelda lies in bed, in the dark, she pictures Lilith in the other room — in her own house! — and the way her arm probably lays above her head, like she always used to sleep. Almost twenty years later, and now Lilith and her are under the same roof. The thought, at first gentle, becomes firm and sharp as soon as Zelda dwells on it. The warmth in her cheeks turns into irritation. 

Twenty years. And as each passed, Zelda thought of writing, of calling; of doing something, anything. She didn’t. The pain turned into a bitter shame, the impression that it was not her place, that she shouldn’t disturb Lilith. Telling herself she probably found happiness with someone else. Though the craving never went away — not entirely. It remained a constant presence, not as a concrete thought, but as a feeling. The vague sentiment of a missing part. Zelda turns and turns in bed, unable to calm down her mental wanderings. She won’t sleep a lot tonight. Beyond a few walls, Lilith tells herself the same. 

* * *

Day 2 

The morning light is still soft around the edges — it must be pretty early. But Lilith has been wide awake for a couple of hours. She finally decides to get up, and she gets dressed: a white shirt tucked into a tight black pencil skirt, with the usual red lipstick and a leather purse. A power outfit; she will have to deal with some despicable people today. Blackwood being the first on that list. 

She gets out of her room, noticing how quiet the house still is. Walking down the hallway, she takes her time to look more closely at the details of the decoration, the ancient family portraits and the luxurious — or, at least, by 19th century standard — tapestry. Her wanderings takes her to the kitchen. Some coffee would be good to start off the day. Walking towards the counter, she puts down her bag on it, and jumps at a voice coming from her left. She turns around. 

  * Oh, hi. 



Zelda is standing, her back on the counter, in the corner of the kitchen. Lilith’s glance goes from the puffed eyes to the large cup of coffee in her hands; and Zelda seizes the instant she understands the cause of them. Glancing back at the woman in front of her, the ginger witch sees the same tired features. They both know it, now; they can’t fake indifference. Though what they don’t know is the nature of this thing between them. 

Is she angry? Is she sad? Zelda studies the woman’s eyes and wonders, though she gives up after a few seconds. She is not unable to hold the woman’s stare (and her pride tells her to) but she is not willing to do it, or at least not yet. What if she could something in her eyes, maybe something Zelda doesn’t know herself?

Lilith takes two steps towards the witch. It’s an impulsive gesture, and she regrets it immediately, but she finds it impossible to retreat once Zelda looks up. She swallows the lump in her throat and parts her lips to speak, noticing how Zelda’s eyes are drawn to them, even if it’s just for an instant, while Lilith inhales a shaky breath. 

  * Maybe we should talk… 



For a second, Lilith actually believes the ginger will grab her face and kiss her. Instead, she bites her lip and looks down into her coffee, as if the hot liquid could tell her what to say.

  * Lili, it was all a long time ago, I… 



The nickname sends a shiver down Lilith’s spine. It’s been a long time indeed. And Zelda bites her lip again; she clearly didn’t mean to call her that.

  * We have more important business to take care of now. 



The witch is being stubborn, though it is understandable. Even then, Lilith feels infuriated; the feeling spreading, first a knot in her stomach then a sudden electricity in her fingers, the tensed muscles in her legs trembling slightly, her fist closing in. She wants answers. But they will have to wait, apparently. She backs off, suddenly really uncomfortable with the proximity of their two bodies. 

  * Well, speaking of important business, I should go. 



She attempts a smile and turns around, she is already half out of the room when the witch’s voice stops her dead in her tracks. 

  * Wait… 



In the second it takes Lilith to turn around, an eternity seems to pass; her pulse goes up, blood rushes to her cheek and butterflies invade her stomach. A thought, a crazy one, is suddenly conquering her mind, polluting it : what if hoping isn’t vain? 

  * Good morning auntie!



The shock seems almost more violent than when Zelda spoke, and Lilith feels lightheaded for a second. Sabrina just barged in the kitchen, completely unaware of her impressively bad timing. When she notices Lilith, she also picks up the tension in the room. Nevertheless, she turns to her with a smile — a desperate and failed attempt not to look too awkward. 

  * Oh hi! Good morning. 
  * Good morning. 



Lilith looks at her and curls up her lips slightly, in an expression that isn’t really a smile; Sabrina wonders why that intimidating woman suddenly seems so vulnerable, lost almost. 

  * She was just leaving. 



Zelda’s tone is not too imperious, but it doesn’t leave Lilith with much choice either. Still, Zelda can’t be the only one allowed to act so cold and controlling. Lilith turns to the ginger witch. 

  * But you wanted to tell me something, didn’t you?



The light in her eyes, burning with pride and hurt, seems to go through Zelda’s own when she catches her glance. Though her own anger is bubbling up; how dare she? How dare she talk to her that way, in front of Sabrina? The sheer arrogance, the stupid audacity! All those feelings that were about to emerge, she pushes them back down in one sharp breath. She won’t give her the satisfaction of a stuttering embarrassment. 

  * You forgot your bag. 
  * Oh… 



Lilith’s mouth falls open. She turns to the counter towards which Zelda is gesturing. Yes, it’s her bag there. She walks over and grabs it, trying her best to hide her uncertainty. In truth, she feels like each of her steps signifies a painful, heavy descent into the real world. A world in which the person who left you 20 years ago isn’t about to ask your hand in marriage again; no, she just wants to say you forgot your bag. Now Zelda is there in front of her, absurdly cold, and Sabrina just stands in her corner, staring. She doesn’t know what to say — Lilith finds herself in the same situation. 

  * Thank you. 



As soon as she walks out the door, Lilith feels a rush, like the chill prickling of ice, going down her body. Zelda looks at the empty hallway, where the woman stood just a moment ago; her chest aches, like something was just ripped out of it. The bitter taste in both of their mouths is still full of long-brewed sorrow and questions unanswered. 

****  
  



	6. It's complicated

Day 2 

The sight of the Spellman house is a comfort to Lilith, even if she saw it first less than a day ago. 

“You really think you can come here and tell me what to do?” 

Faustus’s voice echoes in her head, along with the picture of that red face, spitting mouth and fish eyes; the farthest image of a god that one can imagine, yet the man seems to think he is one.

“You foolish girl… I run this church! I decide who gets punished and for what!” 

When she walks into the house, Lilith’s mind is still cloudy with the thoughts of this disgusting man’s words. She almost runs into Zelda upon entering the kitchen. 

  * Oh! Sorry… 



The ginger witch stops, visibly embarrassed. Though her face immediately turns into worry when she looks at Lilith. 

  * Are you alright?



It almost brings a small smile to the woman’s lips, to know Zelda can still see through her mask more than anyone else. Not that it matters anymore, though it’s somehow a comfort to know one person in the whole world can understand you — or even that they could for a second. So many people don’t have that. Lilith sighs, sitting down at the table. 

  * Yes, I’m fine. I just spoke to Blackwood. 



Zelda’s features tense. Her jaw is clenched, her eyes become those small slits of anger. She grabs the back of a chair, her strong hands turning whiter as she holds onto it — a detail Lilith can’t help noticing. 

  * That little bitch. 



Just the thought of him hurting Lilith, it brings all of this morning’s feelings back in Zelda's throat. Though her bursting rage is interrupted by a sudden chuckle. Lilith looks at her with those playful eyes, the ones Zelda used to love. She looks down not a second later, though the magnetic power of those pools of blue draws her back in. She chuckles too. It has always been like that with Lilith : despite everything Zelda might do, she will always find this that when the other witch is around, they create a space of their own. On instants like this, they escape to a different world. A world in which Zelda Spellman smiles and laughs. 

  * What did he say?
  * Futile babbling. He was trying to mess with me.



It’s Zelda’s turn to chuckle at the woman’s words now. 

  * Stupid man. 



Her lifted eyebrow makes Lilith smiles once again. But Faustus’s words are still dancing around in her head : “You really think you know all that is happening here? Sabrina Spellman is a threat for this Coven. The Spellman family is manipulating you! I suggest you just go back doing the council’s bitting and mind your own business.” His insistence upon her going home makes Lilith suspicious; even more that she would have been just knowing his vile ways. 

  * He’s hiding something. 



Zelda bites the inside of her cheek. This is something she has been thinking of even since the start, though she knew confronting him would do nothing. No loyal ways are useful with that kind of person. 

  * I wouldn’t be surprised. I never knew a warlock so… 
  * Devious. 



Zelda rolls her eyes at the interruption, but the smile on her lips refuses to hide itself. How can Lilith still anticipate her own thoughts, after all this time? Because she is right, that is the word that was starting to take shape in the ginger witch’s mind. Though now Lilith seems to be long gone in her own mind, far from Zelda’s own. 

  * I’ll think of something to make him talk. But I still need to speak to a few people first… 



The business talk brought back a certain coldness between the witches’, and suddenly Zelda realises their bubble bursted a while ago. No more of that sweet taste of reunion. It was just a moment, Zelda thinks. A foolish moment that won’t happen again. Lilith doesn’t notice the way Zelda’s face changes, closing in it seems. The dark-haired witch is too caught up in her “case”, as she calls it. 

  * Where could I learn more about the demon Sabrina summoned? I know the spell, but I’m not an expert of the variations… 
  * I didn’t make you come here for that.



Lilith’s train of thought stops at the witch’s words. “Nonsense”, she thinks. Zelda’s face is all coated in this pride, her usual disguise of fearlessness. Though Lilith won’t be fooled. 

  * But now I’m here, am I? And I won’t leave until this entity is banned, whether you like it or not. 



Zelda backs off, shaking her head. 

  * Oh don’t come here, all high and mighty, ready to save us! I can handle this!
  * I know you can. 



Lilith’s answer, snapping back as quickly as Zelda’s anger flamed up, her tone both soft and firm, has this way of disarming the ginger witch. She always did that. Zelda sighs, resigned. Lilith’s help can’t do no harm, after all. 

  * You should talk to Ambrose.



Lilith nods. She puts her hand against Zelda’s on the table — a small, unconscious gesture of comfort — and pulls it back an instant later, feeling the jolt of the ginger witch’s hand under hers. The spot seems to remain full of electricity, the thin skin over Zelda’s knuckles as much as Lilith’s palm, for a few more seconds. Lilith waits a bit before answering, feeling that her voice might give away her inner turmoil. 

  * I just want us to be ready when the entity strikes.



“Us.” Zelda missed that word. 

* * *

  * This spell is not reversible, is it?



Lilith walks around Ambrose’s room, trying not to trip on one of the randomly placed piles of books on the floor. She picks one up, some necromancy volume, and flips through the pages. 

  * It is not. But if you didn’t know this already, I don’t know how you can help us… 



She raises an eyebrow at the young man’s boldness, and snaps shut the book in her hand. 

  * I was testing you. 



Ambrose chuckles; a small laugh that conveys both nonchalance and a genuine amusement.

  * Well, now that I pass the test, will you ask me your other questions?
  * Alright. Has there been cases similar to this one before?
  * You mean a 16 years old freshly baptized witch succeeding to summon a demon from the deepest pit of Hell into her sweet little american town, though failing to trap him correctly and hence endangering herself, her family and probably the whole previously mentioned sweet town?



Lilith sighs, rolling her eyes; and Ambrose thinks she acts a lot like Zelda sometimes. 

  * Are you done with the babbling?



He chuckles again. 

  * What happened between you and my aunt Zelda?



Lilith is taken by surprise. She opens her mouth, closes it again. She thinks of lying, though she feels the young man may be too discerning for that. She wonders if she might tell a version of the truth. But when she tries to put it in words, to simplify that story they share, she can’t find any proper explanation. “What happened indeed”, she thinks. 

  * It's complicated. 



Simple, classic, efficient; the short and sweet formula. Ambrose pouts, but doesn’t investigate further. He jumps when Lilith claps her hands, as if trying to snap herself out of the moment. 

  * Now, back to work!



There is no time to think about those things now. And for once since she came here, Lilith tries as hard as she can to leave the past alone. 

  
  



	7. Reach me

Day 2

  * How can you know you can still trust her after all these years?



Sabrina’s tone is serious, razor-sharp. Standing stiffly in the middle of the kitchen, the young woman stares at her aunt, waiting for her to speak. “This girl never asks questions; she demands answers”, Zelda thinks. As much pride as the witch can feel seeing her niece going through life so fiercely, she doesn’t enjoy when that character trait turns against her. And this is a question she doesn't want to answer — maybe she can’t. She doesn’t want to think about it, one way or another. 

  * Sabrina, please do not make this about… 
  * Just answer my question, auntie. Why?
  * Because! 



The power of her aunt’s voice startles the young witch, whose face slightly alters from irritation to worry. Aunt Zelda can get angry, though she rarely loses her temper so quickly, and so acutely. She takes a deep breath. 

  * I don’t owe you an explanation, but here’s one : Lilith is the most qualified person to get you out of this situation. Do you think I would put your life in the hands of some incapable stranger?



Zelda’s voice trembled in her last sentence, and she prays her niece didn’t notice. She hates how fragile she has been feeling these last few days — she loathes it, that hole thet seems to dug itself deeper every day inside of her, every day since Lilith came back. Her mind is screaming at her, that there is only one way to fill it up. She ignores it, or at least she tries to. 

Now Sabrina sees the distress in her aunt’s eyes, and she nods, finally calming down. Though of course she is not done with her questions. 

  * How come you never spoke of her? If she was so important to you why did you never talked about her? 



The question spins around a few times in Zelda’s head, and she struggles for an answer. 

  * I’m sorry to interrupt… 



Lilith’s voice startles Zelda more than she would have liked, and she knows trying to hide it is vain. She thought Lilith was out of the house, though clearly not. She turns to the woman, and sees in her eyes she must have got the gist of the conversation. 

  * I just… need to ask some questions to Sabrina. 
  * Of course.



Zelda gestures to a chair, inviting the woman to sit down. Lilith shakes her head, and the ginger witch makes a wave with her hand in the air; meaning “suit yourself!”

  * Sit down, Sabrina. 



The girl obeys. Lilith takes a few steps closer, placing herself next to Sabrina, on the opposite side from where Zelda is standing. 

  * Tell me, what happened exactly when you were attempting the spell?



Sabrina bites her lips, an air of guilt in her frown. 

  * Well, I said the incantation, and a sort of dark, viscous smoke started to form on the floor. Before I knew it there was a voice speaking in a language I didn’t understand, screaming my name at me before it slipped through the window and disappeared… 



Lilith nods silently. assimilating. The girl’s description matches the summoning of a powerful and particularly malignant being; which can’t mean no good. 

  * But, maybe it fle back to Hell? I mean, it’s not here, is it?



Both witches sigh at the teenager’s innocence. 

  * It's only a matter of time. Have you had a troubled sleep recently? Do you have a higher sensibility to noise, you easily get cold, you’re barely hungry?



Sabrina stays silent for a moment, while both women wait anxiously for her answer. 

  * Yes… maybe a few of these things. 
  * Oh Satan in hell!



Zelda’s outburst surprises Lilith. 

  * No need to panic, since she isn’t trembling from cold and puking her guts out, there is still time… 
  * My 16 years old niece is slowly getting possessed by a demon, and you are telling me not to panic?



Lilith is on the edge of a stuttering, before she gets herself together. 

  * Of course not. You’re right, we should be acting quickly. But we have a few things to deal with first. 



This protective side of Zelda, Lilith has never seen it before. She never imagined her old lover as a potential mother, yet there she is; and a part of Lilith aches at that thought, itching with a new sort of affection. She only now realises the difference between the feelings she had then, and the ones emerging these last few days. Every piece of her is drawn to every piece of Zelda’s person, and it's more powerful than anything she has felt before, like a refined version if this love they had. As if they had both grown together — even if they were apart — like those big trees that seem so far away, but end up merged into the other, somehow. When she lies in bed that night and closes her eyes, Lilith sees those trees growing on the inside of her lids, but she falls asleep before knowing if they ever reach the other.

  
  



	8. Victories and mistakes

Day 3

  * Lilith, what are you… 
  * Why did you tell the council?



Faustus Blackwood stands in the middle of his office, a dramatic outrage painted on his face. 

  * Why did you have to tell the council?
  * I have no idea what you’re talking about! And you have no right to be here, this is my… 



Lilith takes the two steps between her and the man, pointing a finger at his ridiculously puffed chest. 

  * Now you listen. You could have saved yourself some trouble, Faustus. You could have used that little brain of yours and decide that Sabrina Spellman latest mistake, despite being incredibly foolish, shows a lot of initiative, and more than that, forecasts an incredibly powerful witch. Why excommunicate her?
  * She didn’t even complete the spell, for Satan’s sake!
  * I’m not finished!



Faustus’s face is turning redder by the minute, though Lilith carries on, not afraid of him at all. 

  * But you can’t have your masculinity threatened by some 16 years old witch who has more power you even dreamed to have at her age! So you told the council… Is that right?



He turns around, and starts to pace the room. 

  * Those Spellmans, there are a nuisance. Always thinking that they’re above the law. This is my church! I do with it as I please!



He is screaming now, caught up in a sort of trance. 

  * I make the law! I decided of the rites, I decide whether each and every member of this coven deserves to live. Without me, this church is just a pile of rubbles, just like many other coven in this crumbling institution that is the Churches of Darkness.



Bewitched by his own speech, Faustus even has the arrogance to believe Lilith’s silence means agreement. Lilith rolls her eyes when he turns to her again, triumphantly. 

  * I think we’ve heard enough, haven’t we?



Faustus stares at the witch in front of him, wondering why she is suddenly speaking so loudly. 

  * We?



The door opens abruptly, and Zelda steps in. 

  * Yes, I think we did. 



Her smile is wide, a toothy grin that makes Faustus’s face suddenly crumble. 

  * Good job girls. 



Hilda walks in with the same satisfied look, smiling at Zelda and Lilith. 

  * I’m sure you’re not angry with us that we brought a few friends along, are you?



His face turns white when Faustus sees a few council members following the three women into the room. 

  * Faustus Blackwood, you are officially suspended from your position as High Priest. 
  * Suspended? For how long?
  * Indefinitely. 



Lilith chuckles at the enjoyable sight of Blackwood’s poise character turning into a pitiful creature. 

  * Your dishonors, I didn’t… 
  * You will be taken to the Vatican for judgment. Now. 



Poof! In a cloud of black smoke, they are gone. 

* * *

The sound of whiskey being poured into a glass, and Lilith’s presence, next to her, shrouds Zelda with their familiar feeling. She smiles, already a bit intoxicated. 

  * That certainly was fun, was it?



Lilith laughs. 

  * His face… 



Picturing it in her head, Zelda laughs too. 

  * Even before knowing for sure he was the culprit, I had this feeling… 
  * We all had!



Zelda takes a big sip of her glass, and Lilith notices her exposed throat when she throws her head back. Alcohol is not helping her keep her distance, and they are now sitting so close to each other on the couch, in this silent house where everybody is asleep. Neither of them wants to dwell on that thought. 

  * And he was stupid enough to tell the council himself, thinking he wouldn’t get caught… 
  * Power-starved men, right?



Zelda’s sly smile, and that remark, makes Lilith’s heart flutter. The ginger witch seems troubled too, for an instant, before she composes herself again and raises her glass. 

  * To women in charge!
  * To women in charge. 



The sound of the glasses hitting each other breaks through the silence, as each woman stares at the other, daring her to look away, perhaps. Without breaking eye contact, Lilith still finds a way to distract herself from the feelings invading her, and asks a question. 

  * Why didn’t you tell Sabrina about today?



Zelda sighs, trying to ignore that moment they just had, and to focus on answering Lilith. Though her mind keeps torturing her : is she hallucinating those instants? Seeing Lilith snap out of them seemingly easily, she thinks they might not mean the same for the other woman as they do for her, despite her strongest will. She still gathers her thoughts enough to speak. 

  * Oh she would have found a way to stir some trouble… I love her, but she is like that. 



Zelda shrugs with a chuckle. 

  * Makes me think of someone I used to know… 



Lilith regrets the words as soon as they come out of her mouth. What if Zelda is irritated by the boldness?

  * I’m not that person. Not anymore. 



Lilith gets lost in her contemplation of the ginger witch : how her eyes fall down with a slight look of melancholia, how high her chest raises from her breaths. This moment is obviously not banter, but it is a different form of intimacy; something both women have not had in a long time. Lilith sees how the witch is on the verge of talking, so she stays silent and waits, until Zelda finally speaks again. 

  * About what happened, that night… 



Lilith feels the air being sucked out of her lungs as soon as her brain processes Zelda’s sentence. 

  * Hm, hm?



Zelda looks up to meet her eyes. 

  * I’m sorry. 



Her tone is soft, and for a second Lilith forgets she has to answer. 

  * I’m sorry too. For everything. 



Zelda has no idea how their faces ended up so close, but now her eyes are drawn to the woman’s mouth. Lilith licks her lips unconsciously. She feels her heart pounding, ready to get out of her chest, before it seemingly explodes in her throat when she feels Zelda’s soft lips brushing hers. The kiss doesn’t stay chaste for long, and soon Zelda’s hand is tangled in Lilith’s hair, the texture still familiar under the touch of her fingers. Lilith grabs the ginger witch’s waist to pull her closer, deepening the kiss as she tilts her head back. It tastes like whiskey and old promises. 

Zelda suddenly pulls away. For a moment, Lilith stares at her, perplexed, her hair ruffled and her lipstick smudged. The ginger witch stands up abruptly and walks out of the room, letting out three words under her breath. 

  * I’m sorry. 



Zelda runs into the night, while Lilith stays stuck on that couch, sleepless for countless hours; stuck with the memory of Zelda’s lips on hers. When Zelda comes back, she is startled to find Lilith still there. They stay for a moment, staring, before Zelda dares speaking. 

  * Let’s not talk about it again. 



Lilith nods, and the ginger witch disappears up the stairs; like a vision. the witch wonders if this was all a dream; or maybe a nightmare. 

Up in her room, Sabrina writhes in her bed, nauseous and shivering. A voice whispers in the hallway, in an unknown language. Nobody hears it, but it’s their last warning.


	9. Take my hand

Day 4

_ The plan is simple.  _

“Sabrina… Sabrina…” 

The whispering makes the walls tremble. A slimy dark liquid takes over the hallways of the Spellman’s residence. roaming, until it lands on its prey. “Sabrina…” The demon raises into its true form, a goat-like creature all bent and crooked, when it spots the girl’s silhouettes in the middle of the living room; alone, defenseless. Teeth out, the creature jumps unto the girl. 

  * Adhuc eris!



The creature freezes in the air, curling up in a ball as the spell shrouds it. There was no girl; just spell. And Zelda stands where Sabrina would have been, her hand stretched out towards the creature she holds in the air, her hand tensed and her eyes wide open. She feels her magic running through her; a great feeling at first, soon turning into a terrible fatigue. 

  * Daemonium exilium! 



_ Zelda and I will guard the house. Sabrina, you’re the most vulnerable to the demon’s powers, since you’ve summoned it. You will have to hide, with Hilda and Ambrose to protect you. Me and your aunt will take care of lurking in the entity and then banish it. First, we’ll take it by surprise.  _

Zelda screams it at the top of her lungs, still squeezing the creature in place. 

  * Daemonium exilium! Daemonium exilium!



_ Then we will unite our powers to defeat it.  _

Another voice joins the first one, and the confused demon squeals in pain, feeling the burn of Hell’s flame already. Lilith steps closer to it, screaming almost in its ear. 

  * Daemonium exilium! Daemonium exilium!



  * _What if it’s not working?_



_ Sabrina holds Lilith’s stare; not scared to challenge her orders.  _

  * _It will work._


  * Are you sure?



_ The witch’s eyes meet Zelda’s. Despite the cold distance she has been keeping since the previous night, Lilith can see in her glance that she approves.  _

  * _Yes I am._



The creature seems to turn smaller every second, sinking into itself with a hellish sound. 

  * It's working!



Suddenly, a black slimy arm emerges from the vague form, grabbing Zelda’s neck. 

  * _What if something goes wrong?_



_ Hilda is just as nervous as her niece.  _

  * _Then we will handle it, together_



_ Gazing at the ginger witch, Lilith hopes with the deepest parts of herself that everything will go as planned. Even though she knows it never does.  _

The ginger witch lets out a choked sound. She tries to fight, but every movement aches and every thought strikes her whole body like lightning. Soon, she realises she does not even see the room around her. 

  * Ad machinam!



Zelda’s feels the air coming into her lungs before she hits the wall violently and falls. She hears Lilith’s scream, from a distance it seems. She fights against herself, struggles to open her eyes. When she does, she sees chaos around her; a blast of wind runs through the living room, like the omen of a terrible thunderstorm. It’s the sound which is the most terrible; all those doors slamming in unison, the windows rattling, and the demon’s horrible whines. 

Zelda’s eyes finally focus on Lilith. 

  * Daemonium exilium! Daemonium exilium! Daemonium exilium! 



The witch has both her hand stretched out, her eyes filled with tears as she howls the words, spitting them in the creature’s face. She is breathless, livid. 

  * Lilith… 



Zelda can see the witch’s energy slowly fading; her words are less clear, her voice breaks. She tries to stand up but as soon as she moves she crumbles back down. Laying there, not able to look away, Zelda looks at the woman she loves slowly being robbed of her life, minute by minute, staying there like the stubborn idiot she is. She won’t be able to hold on a lot longer. 

She turns to Zelda, suddenly, and their eyes meet. Her lips trace the words once again : “I’m sorry”. Then, before her last breath, she mutters : “I love you.” 

A blinding light suddenly fills the room, like a star exploding. When Zelda opens back her eyes, she senses this new energy coursing through her veins, and actually manages to stand up, She fumbles through the room to find Lilith’s hand. As soon as they touch, Zelda feels they form one body, one soul, as they scream together. 

  * Daemonium exilium! Daemonium exilium! Daemonium exilium! Daemonium exilium!



A last squeal resonates, before the light fades out. Lilith and Zelda both stare at the spot where the demon was, a second ago, before turning to look at each other. Zelda wraps the witch in her arms, holding her tightly as tears run down her face. 

  * Lilith… 
  * Zelda… 



The dark-haired witch pulls away first, so she can look at Zelda’s face. 

  * What was that?
  * I don’t know… 



Neither of them has ever seen magic like this. Somehow, the Universe decided it wasn’t their time to part; not so short after finding the other again. Zelda chuckles quietly. 

  * I don’t care. 



The ginger witch grabs the other woman’s face, smashing her lips against her own. Lilith smiles against her mouth, pulling her closer. Their lips are sealed, like an oath; one that tastes of new promises. This time, Zelda doesn't want to pull away; not ever. Though life can’t always play out exactly as one wishes. 

  * Well I see you guys have been very busy… 



Both women part, startled. Sabrina, Hilda and Ambrose are standing at the entrance of the living room; the first and the second standing there like they have just seen a ghost, the third leaning on the wall with a smug smile. Zelda feels her cheeks turning bright pink, and she hates it — even more when she sees Lilith’s sly grin as she is looking at her. 

  * What?



Sabrina laughs at her aunt’s desperate attempt to fake innocence. 

  * What happened?



Hilda’s voice is tinted with despair, as her eyes wander across the room. Zelda notices it just now, how the living room is completely wrecked. 

  * I guess we should have been more careful… 



Zelda turns to Lilith’s mischievous face at that stupid comment, rolling her eyes, though her smile doesn't leave her lips anymore. Hilda looks at those two lovebird, at the way one stares when the other is looking away, that twinkle in their eyes, the way they seem to live in their own little world — and thinks she has never seen Zelda so happy. 


	10. Into that world inverted

Greendale, may 2018

As she walks, hand in hand with Lilith, Zelda thinks that her steps don’t feel as heavy as the first time. She smiles, and runs her thumb on the back of the other woman’s hand. Only a few more steps; the path is short. The Spellman garden is blooming, and dusk is at the gates of the day. Lilith looks at the horizon in front of her, and thinks how she could have never met Zelda at all. How strange. 

Ambrose is waiting for them at the altar. When they stop in front of him, he smiles. 

  * Welcome, welcome! We are here today to celebrate the second wedding — yes I did say second — of Zelda Spellman and Lilith… 



Lilith turns to Zelda slightly, and the ginger witch tries to hide her smile. There it is, that moment, again, where the rest of the world fades out. The small assembly seems to disappears. Time passes both slowly and fast. Soon, Lilith finds herself taking Zelda’s hands in hers, ready to say her vows. 

  * My love… Neither of us are good with words and feelings. Maybe that’s why we lost each other for a while. 



Zelda chuckles, though she can already feel tears filling her eyes. 

  * But it was only a moment. And we have so much more to come. All those years I had this persistent feeling, that I was always forgetting something… It was just an impression, like a dream the evaporates when you wake up, but haunts you all day. Like the moon in a sunny sky. Now I want the moon in all the night skies, so I can delight myself with its brightest light. I don’t want to live on a memory anymore. 



Lilith looks down, biting her lip. 

  * The moon in the bureau mirror



looks out a million miles

(and perhaps with pride, at herself,

but she never, never smiles)

far and away beyond sleep, or

perhaps she's a daytime sleeper. 

By the Universe deserted,

she'd tell it to go to hell,

and she'd find a body of water,

or a mirror, on which to dwell.

So wrap up care in a cobweb

and drop it down the well

Lilith takes a deep breath, and looks up into the ginger’s eyes again.

  * into that world inverted



where left is always right,   
where the shadows are really the body,   
where we stay awake all night,   
where the heavens are shallow as the sea   
is now deep, and you love me. 

Lilith feels a tear running run her cheek. 

  * By the Universe deserted, my love, you would find a way. Because you barged into my empty universe, twice… 



Lilith stares into Zelda eyes, holding her lover’s hands to her chest. 

  * And reflected a light I thought was lost a long time ago. 



Lilith’s voice turned to a whisper in the last words. She takes a deep breath. 

  
  


  * I have tried to live in a world without you. I have tried to convince myself that someday, there would be a world where I didn’t love you anymore. I have tried to live in the “right” world, do the “right” thing. But this world doesn’t feel right. A million times, I would choose our little world inverted. The one in which you love me.



Zelda grabs Lilith’s face, and kisses those lips; a long, deep kiss. The ginger witch’s hand cupping her cheek feels like a delicious burn, and Lilith leans into the touch. Eyes closed, their bodies sealed; around them, the Universe deserted. Four words muffled in their embrace : 

_ and you love me.  _

_ and you love me.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This amazing poem (and the title which quotes it) is obviously not mine, but Elizabeth Bishop’s Insomnia. I also want to thank that amazing person who generously gave me the idea of this story. I hope my take on it isn’t too terrible!!


End file.
